You make a very good point. Some of you want to see Shanahan in a "reduced", 4th-line role, and yet you pencil him in for pretty much the same number of points.

If he were to come back and play on the 4th line, who would get him the puck? Blair Betts?

Shanahan is NOT a puck carrier, and is so even less (if that's even possible) at this stage of his career. Without a real setup many like Gomez, he'll be useless. Betts pretty much can't do anything with the puck, his game is based on not having it, so that surely isn't going to help.

I don't know, most of the people advocating a 3rd or 4th line role weren't pointing to his numbers. I was looking at his production from last year, and saying I still wanted to see him on the 2nd line. I like Drury alot more as a center than a winger, and I think most of us agree that we are a little short on top six wingers on the current roster if we don't move someone from center. If Shanahan wears down later in the season, well, move him down to the 3rd or 4th line and move Prucha up. I'll take the 20 goals we can get out of him before that happens. If he is really willing to sign at a reduced rate, then he may be the best bargain out there among legit scoring wingers.

I don't know that I entirely buy him slowing down his linemates, either. If there is an opportunity on the rush, they can take it - he can follow up as the 3rd man high. If the rush is cut off and they end up cycling, there will be plenty of time for him to get into place to unleash his still above-average shot.

Anyway, there are certainly faster and younger players out there, and I don't really object to not signing Shanahan if we are looking at developing younger players for the future. I just think that this team would be better this year with him on it than off it, and that with experienced players like Gomez, Drury, Redden, and Naslund we aren't exactly in wholesale rebuilding mode.

Who on the current roster is going to put up better numbers on the 2nd line than Shanahan would? If I were convinced we had somebody who could be counted on to be productive in that role, then I would agree that we don't need Shanahan.